UFC chief calls for 'local heroes' to make impact
Dana White says the organisation would like to see Hong Kong produce some quality fighters
Hong Kong might not yet be on the map as far as the Ultimate Fighting Championship's Asian circuit is concerned but the organisation has issued a rallying cry to the city's mixed martial artists, saying the sport needs "local heroes" to help its spread across the region.
"We want to recruit fighters from all over China - and that includes Hong Kong," UFC president Dana White said on Tuesday.
"We want fighters from all over China and we know there is talent out there. The more exposure there is to the sport the more people become involved so China is looking exciting for us. We want to be everywhere."
We want fighters from all over China and we know there is talent out there
White has been in town drumming up support for the next UFC card at Macau's CotaiArena, set for August 23, and he brought some pretty impressive figures with him on Tuesday, even factoring in the hype that goes hand in hand with the fight game.
Since establishing a presence in Asia in 2010, the UFC's stable of regional fighters has grown to around 40, with around 12 coming from across China, the organisation claimed.
When the first The Ultimate Fighter China reality TV series came to its conclusion at the UFC's eight-fight card at the CotaiArena in March - Zhang Lipeng taking a split decision over Wang Sai in their welterweight bout to claim the title - average viewership for each of the series' 12 episodes hit 10 million people.
The UFC now has 25 million regular followers in total across China, while an estimated 115 million people watched some form of UFC during 2013 - a figure the UFC said had been surpassed already this year.
"We have made our entrance into China, laid down a lot of groundwork and got some fighters," said White. "Now we have to think about what's next. We've dipped our toe in, now we have to get out feet wet."
To that end, White said he was negotiating a deal for the next Ultimate Fighter China, and again he hoped Hong Kong fighters could be involved - although he wouldn't be drawn on whether or not the UFC had plans to host an event in the city.
And then there's the card on August 23, which will feature as its main event a middleweight (185kg) clash between Vietnam-born, US-raised Cung Le and Michael "The Count" Bisping.
Le is well-known to local fight fans for the demolition job he did on Rich Franklin when the UFC staged its first event in Macau in 2012 - with many wise heads handing Le the "knockout of the year" for the blow that brought Franklin to the canvas in the first round. To those uninitiated with the UFC's Octagon, the 42-year-old might present a familiar face thanks to his role in the award-winning martial arts epic (2009).
Le, whose professional mixed martial arts record stands at nine wins and two loses, has been out of the ring since that win in 2012 - helping train China's Ultimate Fighter hopefuls - but showed on Tuesday that he'd lost none of his confidence.
"I'm very good at kicking ass," he said. "Fighting is in my DNA."
The 35-year-old Bisping, apparently the direct descendant of a 14th century Polish count, was quick to come to the party. "I leave town tomorrow," said the fighter, whose record stands at 24-6. "When I come back there is not a man on this planet at 185kg that will beat me."
